Squitieri, Ferdinando, Orobello, Sara, Cannella, Milena, Martino, Tiziana, Romanelli, Pantaleo, Giovacchini, Giampiero, Frati, Luigi, Mansi, Luigi, Ciarmiello, Andrea

Purpose: Huntington disease (HD) mutation increases gain-of-toxic functions contributing to glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity. Riluzole interferes with glutamatergic neurotransmission, thereby reducing excitotoxicity, enhancing neurite formation in damaged motoneurons and increasing serum concentrations of BDNF, a brain cortex neurotrophin protecting striatal neurons from degeneration.; Methods: We investigated metabolic and volumetric differences in distinct brain areas between 11 riluzole-treated […]

Richard, Edo, Van den Heuvel, Esther, Moll van Charante, Eric P., Achthoven, Lenny, Vermeulen, Marinus, Bindels, Patrick J., van Gool, Willem A.

Background and Purpose: Cardiovascular risk factors are associated with an increased risk of dementia. Treatment of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia is associated with a decrease in incident dementia. Whether interventions aimed at cardiovascular risk factors in late life also reduce dementia risk is unknown. Here, we report the outline of a pragmatic study that will attempt […]

Resnick, Barbara, Gruber-Baldini, Ann L., Zimmerman, Sheryl, Galik, Elizabeth, Pretzer-Aboff, Ingrid, Russ, Karin, Hebel, J. Richard

Objectives: To test the effectiveness of a restorative care (Res-Care) intervention on function, muscle strength, contractures, and quality of life of nursing home residents, with secondary aims focused on strengthening self-efficacy and outcome expectations.; Design: A randomized controlled repeated-measure design was used, and generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate status at baseline and 4 […]

Rappaport, Stephen A., Marcus, Ronald N., Manos, George, McQuade, Robert D., Oren, Dan A.

Objectives: To evaluate the tolerability of intramuscular (IM) aripiprazole in patients with agitation associated with dementia.; Design: A 24-hour, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study.; Setting: Sixteen healthcare facilities in the United States.; Participants: A total of 129 patients with acute agitation associated with Alzheimer’s, vascular or mixed dementia in healthcare facilities.; Intervention: Patients were randomized to […]

Isik, A. T., Celik, T., Bozoglu, E., Doruk, H.

Objectives: Cholinesterase inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and antimuscarinic agents for the treatment of urge urinary incontinence (UUI) may reduce the potential effect of each other in the patients with both diseases. Trospium has a relatively low lipophilicity and low CNS penetration, and galantamine, a cholinesterase inhibitors, has also allosterically modulates nicotinic […]

Gehrman, Philip R., Connor, Donald J., Martin, Jennifer L., Shochat, Tamar, Corey-Bloom, Jody, Ancoli-Israel, Sonia

Objectives: Patients with Alzheimer dementia often display both agitated behavior and poor sleep. Given that the disease is often associated with low endogenous levels of melatonin, exogenous melatonin administration may lead to improvements in sleep and agitation.; Design: Randomized, placebo-controlled study.; Setting: Nursing homes in San Diego, CA, metropolitan area.; Participants: Subjects were patients with […]

Curtis, Adrienne, Mitchell, Ian, Patel, Smitaa, Ives, Natalie, Rickards, Hugh

Pilot study of nabilone in Huntington’s disease (HD). Double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study of nabilone versus placebo. Primary outcome, Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) total motor score. Secondary measures: UHDRS subsections for chorea, cognition and behavior, and neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI). 44 randomized patients received either nabilone (1 or 2 mg) followed by placebo (n = […]

Brittle, Nicola, Patel, Smitaa, Wright, Christine, Baral, Sabrina, Versfeld, Pam, Sackley, Catherine

Objective: To investigate the feasibility, acceptability and potential efficacy of group exercise for residents in care homes.; Design: Exploratory cluster randomized controlled trial.; Setting: Five randomly selected care homes in South Birmingham, UK.; Participants: Fifty-six care home residents (mean age 84.5, 71% female), 39 (70%) with cognitive impairments.; Intervention: Two homes (n = 28) were […]

Beglinger, Leigh J., Adams, Williams H., Paulson, Henry, Fiedorowicz, Jess G., Langbehn, Douglas R., Duff, Kevin, Leserman, Anne, Paulsen, Jane S.

Background: Cognitive symptoms are associated with functional disability in Huntington disease; yet, few controlled trials have examined cognitive treatments that could improve patient independence and quality of life. Atomoxetine is a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor approved for treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.; Methods: Twenty participants with mild Huntington disease who complained of inattention were randomized to receive […]

Alvarez, X. Anton, Sampedro, Carolina, Cacabelos, Ramon, Linares, Carlos, Aleixandre, Manuel, García-Fantini, Manuel, Moessler, Herbert

According to current scientific knowledge, excess tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and low insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) are pathogenic-risk factors that constitute therapeutic targets for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Changes in serum TNF-α, total and dissociable IGF-I levels were determined by ELISA in 207 AD patients completing a 24-wk, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the effects of […]